LIPI and Iran Electronics Industries (IEI) will join to develop and produce active- and passive-radar systems (photo : IEI) The Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) and Iran Electronics Industries (IEI) will join forces to develop and produce active- and passive-radar systems for civilian and military interests. The joint venture is the first of its kind in the telecommunications field, as out of the two, Iran is considered to have the edge in technological advances and transfer of technology.LIPI telecommunications division head Mashury Wahab told The Jakarta Post recently in Batam, Riau Islands, that LIPI would work with IEI to develop and manufacture radar systems by collaborating with Indonesian company PT Dirgantara Aviation Enterprise. They will develop both active- and passive-radar systems. The passive-radar system detects signals from a different party, while an active radar system has the capability to resist enemies.“Iran and Indonesia will work together in developing and producing the [two] radar systems. They will be used in the interest of the Indonesian Military’s [TNI] main weaponry system as well as civil aviation at commercial airports,” Mashury said. “Iran possesses the technological edge in this field, such as radius capacity of up to 500 kilometers. Iran also has good technology and components as they are used by more than 52 countries,” he said on the sidelines of the 3rd International Conference on Radar, Antenna, Microwave, Electronics and Telecommunications (ICRAMET) in Batam. According to Mashury, the collaboration is expected to be realized this year, so PT Dirgantara Aviation Enterprise could immediately produce the radar systems. The products will be branded as “made in Indonesia”, while for military use, LIPI will convey the matter to the Defense Industry Policy Committee (KKIP) to be included in TNI’s main weaponry systems.Meanwhile, IEI representative Ali Nasheer Ahmadi addressed the audience at the ICRAMET conference, saying that technology could provide security for Indonesia and Iran.“Indonesia and Iran, as Muslim countries, can work together to develop a variety of telecommunications technologies in the future,” he said.Based on a statement from LIPI, IEI is an Iranian state enterprise involved in technological development and employs up to 5,000 people.(The Jakarta Post)